Various questions on obtaning and maintaning dreadlocks

Hello all!! I'm new to the forum, my names Craig and I'm 19 years old and from Suffolk in the UK. Since December I've been thinking about the pros and cons of growing dreadlocks. I carefully picked apart each one , such as the fact that some (but of course not all!) girls may be turned off by me growing drealocks. I also thought about people judging me. After careful consideration I thoguht to hell with all the negatives!! Ig rils are turned away by me having dreads than they're being turned away by me expressing myself, and those who I do turn away will probably be the kind of girls who aren't open minded and think far to highly of themselves anyway. So that negative turned into another positive! And as for people judging me all people are judged all the time so nothing would really change. And what better way to change people's perspectives than having my own set of dreads and suprising people when they realise I'm not that bad after all! I get judged as it is as my usual atire is trackies and people always think I'm a wanna be rude boy till they get to know me!

My only concern is my OWN ability to form the dreadlocks...

I've read many, many different ways and I need some advice on what method is the best to actually do! Soem say you back comb them (which I kind of get a,lthough even on that I'm a bit unsure!) and then add in wax, but others say the wax is actually bad for them and that you should simply backcomb it then tie them up. So what method is actually best>

Secondly, once the dreads are formed do I have to do anything such as repeat the backcombing process a second time or on a set basis? If so what do I have to do and what kind of gaps do I have to take between doing what eever it is I have to do?

Thirdly, my hand eye cordination isn't my best attirbute to put it mildyl! I'm worried the dreads I form will either be to big or to small! Also I'm worried they might turn out uneven. I would get friends to help but none of my friends in the town I live have dreadlocks, I have friends in the town I go to college with dreadlocks but they're not like amazingly close friends, they're friends/ aqcantancies and I would feel bad asking them. I'd feel abd asking anyone to be honest! And the price of getting them done profesionally is so unbelievable that it's quite frightening to think they're actually extroting people as much as that!!

I know I'v asked a lot of questions and I probably seem as if I'm to lazy to do research but I've done research and asked people who I know but I hear so many conflicitng reports on the best way to go about it that I'm very, very confused! My confusion is the only aspect I need clearing up to get dreads (and I think my hair needs to grow one or two more inches first aswell). Thanks in advance for your help! :D

check out the dreaducation tab up top. that will fill you in on the different methods. wax is a no-go no matter which method you choose. & you want your hair down & loose able to move as much as possible. if you use a starter method (t&r, backcombing) you do it once & then leave them be, if you try to redo it you are setting yourself back to day 1 each time, undoing any progress you actually have made. starter methods tend to loosen or "fall out" some & then reknot, but you don't have to do anything to them, they will do the reknotting on their own. if you go natural you don't have to worry about "making" your sections, they do it for you! even if you do t&r or backcombing it's good to have different sizes & shapes, it helps keep the head filled in & gives a better blended look. all you have to worry about is washing & separating as wanted/needed (that is covered in the tab up top too).

yup. from day one, rock em like you got em. From my experience, most people have instant respect. Dreads are also a great filter for those people who shouldnt be in your life who might spread negative vibes and bring you down. Dreads will allow you to spread your wings, even when the cubical shrinks

I tried the backcombing wax method in the past and it was a huge mistake. Take the advice in this thread and visit the dreaducation section and you will find all you need. Natural uneven dread are the best kind of dreads to have. Don't worry about those that judge you or have something negative to say about your hair, there will be plenty more people that are supportive or intrigued by the process than are negative about it.

Be 100% sure that this is what you want and never look back. Just go with it. If you want them to be stylish it will not be an easy beginning. There will be a lot of redoing. No wax and no back combing . Hair locks up naturally for everyone. Even if you must just go to a salon to section your hair, if you use rubber bands do not keep them in. They are temporary.